Bhubaneswar: Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Department Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi has asked all Collectors to distribute additional amounts under NSAP in cash.
The State Government has recently enhanced the monthly pension slabs under both the social security schemes Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) and National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) by Rs 500 from this month.
Writing a letter to all Collectors, Shri Sethi said the additional amount due to the NSAP beneficiaries for the month of February 2024 could not be paid through DBT as the Government of India expressed its inability to do DBT twice in a single month i.e., February 2024.
Hence, the Government has decided to pay the same in cash in the present month only, he said.
The Principal Secretary directed all Collectors to distribute the additional Rs 500 money to the NSAP beneficiaries in cash for the current month.
Sufficient public announcement may be made at Blocks and Panchayats to disseminate the government’s decision in this regard so that all the NSAP beneficiaries turn up to the distribution points to receive their additional amount for this month in cash, he suggested in his letter to the Collectors.
The Collectors were asked to instruct the field officials to carry out the exercise successfully.
The beneficiaries must be informed that this special arrangement has been done only for this month i.e., February 2024. From March, 2024 onwards the NSAP beneficiaries shall get their revised pension amount through DBT, as was done earlier, he said.
The officials involved in the cash disbursement must maintain a acquittance roll to record the names of beneficiaries, he said, adding, this exercise will help in figuring out the exact vacancies under NSAP in the field for taking appropriate action.
The acquittance rolls must be scrupulously maintained and sent to this Department for verification. The unspent balance must be deposited in the respective SNA positively, he added.
As per prevailing practice, the pension under MBPY will be disbursed through cash only, sources said.
